December 7, 2016.
According to a study conducted by two psychologists from the University of Exeter (Great Britain) and the University of New England (Australia), to make believe in Santa Claus would be ” a morally ambiguous exercise »In the family.
The importance of trust
Confidence is essential for family life. Yet for years, parents have been lying to their children at Christmas time. By making people believe that Santa Claus is depositing at the foot of the fireplace ” toys by the thousands “, parents perpetuate a lie that would not be without consequences for the children. This is in any case what reveals a study published in the Lancet Psychiatry.
According to these studies, lying to children about the existence of Santa Claus is to deceive their confidence. Finding out that your parents lied for 7 or 8 years can call into question all of the teachings they taught in other areas during those years. Can we continue to trust them in the future?
Be careful not to make the children feel guilty
” All children will eventually find out that they have been systematically lied to for years, and this might make them wonder what other lies we could have told them », Explain the authors of this study. Another problem raised by the researchers: the parents’ intention. If they wish to relive their childhood rather than immerse their children in a wonderful universe, it can become a ” morally ambiguous exercise “.
According to the authors of this study, we should also not make believe that Santa Claus gives gifts based on the good behavior of the child. It is ” pretty terrifying For them, it locks them in a feeling of insecurity and guilt. Christmas should remain a time of peace and joy for the whole family. Everyone is therefore called upon to set up “traditions»Which secure the child and which will not cause him any harm in the years to come.
Read also: The biggest lies parents have to their children
